Meet our Evolve Leadership Team.
Our leadership team is a group of dedicated, inspiring individuals who embody excellence and lead by example. Their diverse backgrounds and drive for personal growth positively impact the company and set a standard for all to follow. We are proud to be under the direction of such a dedicated and skilled team.
Named Comms Dealers ‘Reseller Executive Leadership Team‘ of the Year 2023.
Board Directors
Alan Stephenson-Brown
CEO
Alan Stephenson-Brown is a senior international telecommunication, network security, and payments specialist with a proven track record of developing, securing, and managing clients at the highest level. His experience spans across 28 countries worldwide, where he has delivered impressive business growth, including securing major contracts with Barclays, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and Tesco, and co-founded TNS.
Alan successfully spearheaded the corporate side of Tuxedo Money Solutions and headed the international sales and business development for Phoenix Managed Networks, which led him to where he is today, as Evolve's Managing Director. Since his appointment, he has helped grow the business, expanding services to 11 countries and 7500 endpoints, with revenue growth reaching over £17 million.
Throughout his career, Alan has secured contracts worth millions, negotiated acquisitions of over 12 companies, and introduced the first PCI Level 1 certified secure network management solution to the UK market.
A true leader, Alan completed a master's degree while still achieving excellence in all aspects of business and has a Chartered Directorship with the Institute of Directors. He's an investor, a director, a sales and business development expert, and a visionary who has proven his capabilities on an international platform.
Alan successfully spearheaded the corporate side of Tuxedo Money Solutions and headed the international sales and business development for Phoenix Managed Networks, which led him to where he is today, as Evolve's Managing Director. Since his appointment, he has helped grow the business, expanding services to 11 countries and 7500 endpoints, with revenue growth reaching over £17 million.
Throughout his career, Alan has secured contracts worth millions, negotiated acquisitions of over 12 companies, and introduced the first PCI Level 1 certified secure network management solution to the UK market.
A true leader, Alan completed a master's degree while still achieving excellence in all aspects of business and has a Chartered Directorship with the Institute of Directors. He's an investor, a director, a sales and business development expert, and a visionary who has proven his capabilities on an international platform.
Ryan Stephenson-Brown
Technical & Finance Director
Ryan demonstrates a truly impressive level of drive and ambition at an astonishingly young age. Despite facing numerous challenges and obstacles, he has not been deterred and has instead channelled his unyielding determination into establishing a prosperous business at Evolve.
In 2014, at age 15, he founded his first managed network services business, which has since been incorporated into Evolve. Ryan's vision for the future of the company is clear, and he possesses the strategic acumen and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to bring that vision to life.
By virtue of his outstanding efforts and achievements, Ryan has demonstrated that age should not be a barrier to success. He is well-versed in all facets of the business, from finance and technology to sales and marketing, and is invested in Evolve's journey. Ryan has been instrumental in Evolve's growth over the past few years, supporting four acquisitions and constructing a platform from which Evolve can scale further. Ryan is an established member of the Institute of Directors , a community of like-minded business leaders with networking opportunities and development courses for self-improvement.
In 2014, at age 15, he founded his first managed network services business, which has since been incorporated into Evolve. Ryan's vision for the future of the company is clear, and he possesses the strategic acumen and entrepreneurial spirit necessary to bring that vision to life.
By virtue of his outstanding efforts and achievements, Ryan has demonstrated that age should not be a barrier to success. He is well-versed in all facets of the business, from finance and technology to sales and marketing, and is invested in Evolve's journey. Ryan has been instrumental in Evolve's growth over the past few years, supporting four acquisitions and constructing a platform from which Evolve can scale further. Ryan is an established member of the Institute of Directors , a community of like-minded business leaders with networking opportunities and development courses for self-improvement.
Jon Shaw
Founder
Jon's journey into the exciting world of ICT began in 1989, when he proudly donned his cap and gown and received his degree in Computer Science from John Moores University. From there, he quickly immersed himself in the industry, working as an analyst programmer for prestigious corporations like Enichem and Saint-Gobain, where he honed his software development skills.
But it was during his seven-year tenure at Kodak where Jon truly made his mark, leading the charge on the integration of Kodak's SCADA manufacturing systems with SAP. His dedication and expertise shone through as he navigated the complex world of technology, constantly striving for excellence.
As fate would have it, Jon's thirst for adventure and innovation led him to launch his own company, Evolve, in 2005. And his vast experience and expertise have taken him on a thrilling journey around the globe, with stints in Barcelona, Milan, Paris, and even Minnesota, USA. He's held various positions, including project management, systems and network design, and IT management, always pushing himself to reach new heights and make a lasting impact in the world of ICT.
But it was during his seven-year tenure at Kodak where Jon truly made his mark, leading the charge on the integration of Kodak's SCADA manufacturing systems with SAP. His dedication and expertise shone through as he navigated the complex world of technology, constantly striving for excellence.
As fate would have it, Jon's thirst for adventure and innovation led him to launch his own company, Evolve, in 2005. And his vast experience and expertise have taken him on a thrilling journey around the globe, with stints in Barcelona, Milan, Paris, and even Minnesota, USA. He's held various positions, including project management, systems and network design, and IT management, always pushing himself to reach new heights and make a lasting impact in the world of ICT.
Rob Brown
Operations Director
Rob previously worked in the construction industry for Allied Infrastructure, a multi-disciplined specialist contractor specialising in the airports, highways, defence, and construction sectors, where he managed numerous multimillion-pound projects nationally and internationally. In 2001, he began his career at Allied as a drilling operator, working on the majority of the UK's major runways and highways. Before leaving the company at the end of December 2018, he was quickly promoted to supervisor, then contracts manager, and most recently, operations director.
Rob served in the British Army as a soldier and Grenadier Guard earlier in his adult life. Rob left the army after five years of service to his country, numerous tours, and guarding the Queen, where he discovered he had an aptitude for business!
Rob possesses a wealth of operational knowledge, commercial awareness, and many transferable skills pertaining to the operation and management of a successful business.
Rob served in the British Army as a soldier and Grenadier Guard earlier in his adult life. Rob left the army after five years of service to his country, numerous tours, and guarding the Queen, where he discovered he had an aptitude for business!
Rob possesses a wealth of operational knowledge, commercial awareness, and many transferable skills pertaining to the operation and management of a successful business.
Lee Simpson
Chief Financial Officer
Lee Simpson is an accomplished financial expert who brings a wealth of experience and the prestigious ACA qualification to his role, demonstrating a profound understanding of finance.
Lee's illustrious career has been marked by consistently outstanding achievements. In his prior position as CFO at UK Hire Group, he spearheaded a financial revitalisation, introducing streamlined processes, reducing debtor days, and achieving an impressive 22% year-on-year revenue growth.
Before joining Evolve, Lee served as Head of M&A at Slater & Gordon, orchestrating complex divestitures and overseeing acquisitions of high-volume legal services divisions. His strategic prowess shone as Head of M&A at DCC Technology (Exertis), where he played a pivotal role in global expansion efforts.
Lee's impact extends beyond the corporate arena. At Ainscough Crane Hire, he implemented best practices, facilitated M&A deals, and drove operational enhancements. As an Associate Director of M&A at Tyco International, he oversaw over 15 acquisitions and divisions across various Tyco businesses, solidifying his reputation for global expansion.
Lee's passion for excellence aligns perfectly with Evolve's vision. His drive, insight, and guidance promise to propel Evolve to new heights, setting the stage for a future of prosperity and success.
Lee's illustrious career has been marked by consistently outstanding achievements. In his prior position as CFO at UK Hire Group, he spearheaded a financial revitalisation, introducing streamlined processes, reducing debtor days, and achieving an impressive 22% year-on-year revenue growth.
Before joining Evolve, Lee served as Head of M&A at Slater & Gordon, orchestrating complex divestitures and overseeing acquisitions of high-volume legal services divisions. His strategic prowess shone as Head of M&A at DCC Technology (Exertis), where he played a pivotal role in global expansion efforts.
Lee's impact extends beyond the corporate arena. At Ainscough Crane Hire, he implemented best practices, facilitated M&A deals, and drove operational enhancements. As an Associate Director of M&A at Tyco International, he oversaw over 15 acquisitions and divisions across various Tyco businesses, solidifying his reputation for global expansion.
Lee's passion for excellence aligns perfectly with Evolve's vision. His drive, insight, and guidance promise to propel Evolve to new heights, setting the stage for a future of prosperity and success.
Adam Cole
Development Director
Adam joined Evolve in August 2010 from Michael Davis & Associates Ltd., a company engaged in the procurement and fulfilment of promotional products and marketing POS for various well-known global brands, where he worked as a senior software developer contributing to the delivery of a SAP-integrated internal solution.
Adam is an ardent supporter of reforming the conventional education system. Adam's primary value and continuous self-improvement is his commitment to lifelong education. Prior to assuming this position, Adam held several subordinate positions while he taught himself the concept of software development.
Adam has vast experience in software development and designed the custom guest WiFi system for Evolve, which supports over 5 million connections per year. Adam and his colleagues also created a custom "internal" system that powers our 24/7 support team.
Adam is an ardent supporter of reforming the conventional education system. Adam's primary value and continuous self-improvement is his commitment to lifelong education. Prior to assuming this position, Adam held several subordinate positions while he taught himself the concept of software development.
Adam has vast experience in software development and designed the custom guest WiFi system for Evolve, which supports over 5 million connections per year. Adam and his colleagues also created a custom "internal" system that powers our 24/7 support team.
Executive Team
Neil Muttock
Commercial Director
Neil joined the telecommunications sector in 2016 as a Partner Account Manager within Talk Talk Business's wholesale arm, following a 10-year leadership career in retail.
Neil approaches customer service with dedication and enthusiasm. He understands the importance of excellent relationships for business success and strives to foster a customer-focused culture. Neil actively solicits feedback from customers, implements solutions, and invests in training and resources in order to provide exceptional service that fosters customer loyalty and drives growth.
Whilst at Talk Talk, Neil was the custodian for a number of the key wholesale partnerships. This experience positioned him perfectly to transition into the role of Commercial Director for Evolve, where he assumed ultimate accountability for our account management (both with direct and indirect customers) and marketing strategies.
Neil approaches customer service with dedication and enthusiasm. He understands the importance of excellent relationships for business success and strives to foster a customer-focused culture. Neil actively solicits feedback from customers, implements solutions, and invests in training and resources in order to provide exceptional service that fosters customer loyalty and drives growth.
Whilst at Talk Talk, Neil was the custodian for a number of the key wholesale partnerships. This experience positioned him perfectly to transition into the role of Commercial Director for Evolve, where he assumed ultimate accountability for our account management (both with direct and indirect customers) and marketing strategies.
Paul Washington
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Paul Washington has a remarkable career spanning over 20 years in the financial services and networking sectors, with a passion for ‘delivering on the promise’ and ‘exceeding customer expectations'. His drive, insight, and guidance ensures Evolve's dedication to customer care differentiates itself from the competition.
Throughout his illustrious journey, Paul has occupied various roles, from consultant to department head to director, showcasing his exceptional prowess in navigating the intricacies of the industry and championing customer excellence. Working in large scale organisations such as Cognizant, IBM, Sopra and Atom Bank.
Paul's forges close collaborations with valued partners and customers and offers the strategic guidance needed for them to flourish in today's ever-evolving business landscape. He places high value on the paramount importance of robust partnerships and customised solutions. With Paul steering Evolve's partnership strategy, Evolve is brimming with confidence in their capacity to deliver top-tier support and expertise to their cherished customers. Paul's personal mission is to enable success and empower Evolve's most dedicated clientele through Managed Network Solutions.
Throughout his illustrious journey, Paul has occupied various roles, from consultant to department head to director, showcasing his exceptional prowess in navigating the intricacies of the industry and championing customer excellence. Working in large scale organisations such as Cognizant, IBM, Sopra and Atom Bank.
Paul's forges close collaborations with valued partners and customers and offers the strategic guidance needed for them to flourish in today's ever-evolving business landscape. He places high value on the paramount importance of robust partnerships and customised solutions. With Paul steering Evolve's partnership strategy, Evolve is brimming with confidence in their capacity to deliver top-tier support and expertise to their cherished customers. Paul's personal mission is to enable success and empower Evolve's most dedicated clientele through Managed Network Solutions.
Rachel Rowlandson
IT Service Director
In her role as the IT Service Operations Manager, Rachel stands out as an award-winning IT Service Desk Manager with an impressive track record of over 20 years in the IT support domain. Her extensive experience encompasses all facets of IT support services, showcasing a deep understanding of IT infrastructure, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.
At the helm of a robust and efficient team, Rachel's leadership is characterised by a commitment to excellence and a proactive approach to overcoming challenges. Her strategic thinking and dedication to continuous improvement have created a collaborative work environment that encourages innovation and high-performance standards within the IT support team.
Rachel's expertise extends beyond routine operations; she actively stays informed about emerging technologies and industry trends. This proactive stance ensures that our IT support services remain at the forefront of technological advancements, offering clients a seamless and cutting-edge support experience.
Leadership Team
Natalie Dugdale
Head of Operations
Natalie was eager to bring her passion for "raising the bar" in employee engagement and years of experience in successful operations management to Evolve. Having worked for such a prestigious brand as Marks & Spencer for over 14 years, she knows firsthand the importance of building a positive and engaged team with streamlined operations. Her time at M&S taught her invaluable lessons in building and managing successful operations, as well as cultivating her knowledge of employee engagement.
Throughout her career, she has been driven by her love of all things people and processes, constantly striving to create a dynamic and engaging work environment for her teams. Natalie completed her degree in English Language and Literature while at M&S, and the skills she obtained there taught her how to communicate effectively. With a track record of success in senior leadership roles across the North West of England, including the opening of a new store in Rochdale during the challenging time of the pandemic, she is excited to bring her skills and expertise to Evolve and help drive the organisation forward.
Throughout her career, she has been driven by her love of all things people and processes, constantly striving to create a dynamic and engaging work environment for her teams. Natalie completed her degree in English Language and Literature while at M&S, and the skills she obtained there taught her how to communicate effectively. With a track record of success in senior leadership roles across the North West of England, including the opening of a new store in Rochdale during the challenging time of the pandemic, she is excited to bring her skills and expertise to Evolve and help drive the organisation forward.
Claire Brown
Head of HR
Claire is a seasoned HR professional with decades of experience, currently serving at the forefront of human resources at Evolve. Known for her empathetic leadership, Claire has a strong track record of creating inclusive workplace cultures and implementing effective talent acquisition strategies. She prioritises employee well-being, advocating for mental health support and work-life balance. Her strategic approach to HR and deep understanding of systems have contributed to Evolve's success.
James Marsland
Provisioning Manager
James is Evolve’s Provisioning Manager. With a background marked by four years of hands on experience in broadband technical team leader positions, coupled with eight years of distinguished leadership roles
within the Armed Forces, he brings a wealth of expertise to the table. Throughout his career,
he has successfully overseen diverse teams, navigated varied environments, and consistently achieved excellence. His
commitment to maintaining the highest standards underscores my professional approach and ensures effective leadership in
every endeavour.
Matty Lee
NOC Manager
In 2017, Matty started working as a service desk analyst at Intrinsic Technology, which is now part of Maintel. Matty advanced to become the Network Operations Centre Team Leader in just two years. He was exposed to important telecom infrastructure in this capacity, including LAN networking. In addition to participating in project rollouts and gaining invaluable expertise from customer site visits, Matty's primary responsibilities in this capacity were ticket and incident management. Working as a NOC Team Leader gave Matty experience that would help him succeed in his later jobs at Evolve.
In July 2023, Matty started working as a shift supervisor at Evolve. His goal is to streamline procedures and maximise the NOC's efficiency while maintaining his team's job satisfaction. Matty is a keen believer in constant improvement and is looking at the different ways Evolve can improve, for example, through bespoke training for each NOC team member. Matty began his career as a Senior Sales Assistant in 2013, where he learnt the importance of pace and the value of customer satisfaction.
Matty was promoted to NOC Manager at Evolve in just three months. Drawing from his previous expertise as a shift supervisor and service desk analyst, Matty aims to guide the NOC team through a phase of rapid expansion and advancement.
Antony Seddon
Senior Network Engineer
Senior Network Engineer at
Evolve, Antony has been an
integral part of the company’s
growth over the past three years.
Originating as a first-line team
member, he has witnessed and
actively participated in Evolve’s
evolution into the robust business
entity it is today. His role centres
around delivering customer
solutions that seamlessly
combine simplicity with effective
management, all within the
framework of stringent security
standards. Leading a dynamic
network team, they consistently
craft optimal solutions for our
customers. In the intricate
landscape of networking, he takes
pride in ensuring Evolve remains
at the forefront, providing cuttingedge
and secure solutions.
Constance Smith
Marketing Manager
Constance is an accomplished marketing manager with experience in various B2B industries. She started her career in Property Management and has since worked in Recruitment, Software, Landscaping, Utilities, and now telecoms. Constance's passion for marketing, ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges have made her a valuable asset in every industry she has worked in.
Her expertise in digital marketing, content creation, data analysis, and strategy development has enabled her to deliver results for her customers consistently. Constance's drive, determination, and dedication to her craft make her an inspiring professional. Her ability to connect with people on a personal level sets her apart from others in the industry.
As a marketing manager, Constance is always up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and technologies, and she is able to deliver innovative strategies that drive engagement and boost sales. Her diverse experience in the B2B space has given her a fresh perspective, and she continues to make a lasting impact at Evolve as we grow.
Her expertise in digital marketing, content creation, data analysis, and strategy development has enabled her to deliver results for her customers consistently. Constance's drive, determination, and dedication to her craft make her an inspiring professional. Her ability to connect with people on a personal level sets her apart from others in the industry.
As a marketing manager, Constance is always up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and technologies, and she is able to deliver innovative strategies that drive engagement and boost sales. Her diverse experience in the B2B space has given her a fresh perspective, and she continues to make a lasting impact at Evolve as we grow.
Stuart Milroy
Head of Technical Delivery
Before joining Evolve, Stuart made significant contributions to leading businesses such as Maintel, Adept4 and Avoira, where he successfully delivered a diverse range of projects spanning across all aspects of IT services.
Stuart's previous success speaks strongly about his dedication to excellence and his ability to navigate through challenging technical landscapes. At Evolve, we're confident that Stuart's strategic vision and hands-on experience will play a pivotal role in driving our technical delivery initiatives forward, ensuring that we continue to exceed our customer's expectations and maintain our position at the forefront of innovation in the industry.
Our Executive and Leadership Team Fast Facts
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